Raspberry Wine
by moonflower333
Summary: This is an AR in which Cedric is alive and well and Draco has a sister. There is use of alcohol.
1. Chapter 1

Raspberry Wine

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own the world or canon characters they belong to JK Rowling.

Prologue

The Malfoy manor was a beautiful old Victorian style manor. Ivy grew up the West Side of the black house. Blood red and yellow roses intertwined with the ivy. The inside was just as beautiful. The floor was made of white marble, while the walls and ceiling resembled that of an opera house. The staircase was spiral with a deep emerald green carpet stretching the entire length of the stairs. A large crystal chandelier hung in the middle of the hallway. But the outside and the inside architecture of the manor were all that was beautiful.

The shelves inside the drawing room were lined with dark magic artifacts. Things were lined up straight as if they were apart of some kind of army awaiting the command to strike. A glass of human eyes graced the mantle of the dinning room. While a portrait of a stiff- lipped- upper-class- aristocratic family hung above the fireplace, passing judgment over all that came into the room.

In the sitting room, lined along the wall were several glass cases. Each of these cases had a large gold plate with the name of a Malfoy family member engraved. Inside was an assortment of smaller gold and sliver plates with names engraved on them. If a smaller plate was gold then that meant that the person was dead and their index finger could be found above their name plate and was killed by the member of the Malfoy family who's case it was in. If the plate was sliver then that meant that the person was not dead but was hurt so badly they were permanently in St. Mungos.

Out of all the cases only two were empty with the exception of a name plate one large one that read: DRACO MALFOY in one and PERSEPHONE MALFOY in the other. They were the two youngest Malfoy's, Draco in his sixth year at Hogwarts and Persephone in her seventh. Both were in Slytherin. The whole of Slytherin followed Persephone. She was her father's pride and joy, she was pale like the rest of the family but unlike them, she had dark brown hair that was waist length. Lucius held a special place for his daughter in his life. Her father took her to death eater meetings. Since she was seventeen she could join them when she was finished with school. Draco had another year.

Draco had been to death eater meetings and didn't want his sister to go and join. Avery, a death eater the, age of Lucius wanted to marry her. Draco thought this was immoral, unethical and just wrong. He wanted her to marry Marcus Flint the Slytherin Quidditch team captain. Persephone however insisted that Flint was in love with Oliver Wood, a thought that made Draco cringe.

Raspberry Wine

The cool night air blew through the trees quietly, like the tranquil sea, peaceful and relaxing. A boy of 16 sat at the lake's edge. He listened as the gentle sound of water hit the sandy shore.

He didn't know how long he had been sitting there. All he knew was that he need to be on his own for a while. He needed to gather his thoughts and form some sort of a plan. After all whom would he be if he failed? What kind of man would he be? What would his father say? Suddenly, from behind him, he heard the faint sounds of footsteps drawing nearer to him. Disturbing his peace. He knew who it was. After all who else would it be? He knew he shouldn't be mad at her. She only wanted to help him. She cared. She was worried.

The cool air blew a lock of blonde hair out of place. He wiped a tear of utter frustration from his alabaster cheek.

"Draco?" A soft voice broke the stony silence.

"Yes Pansy." Draco answered her with a sting.

"I thought that I might find you here. What are you doing?"

" Well I was thinking in solitude until you came." He retorted.

" Oh" her voice fell. " I was just wondering how you were doing." She finished timidly.

"I'm fine Pansy"

Pansy looked to her feet for a second and kicked at an invisible rock.

"Are you Draco? I'm really worried about you."

"Don't waste your time Pansy."

"I know it must be hard for you, but I"

Draco cut her off before she could finish her thought.

"But what Pansy. You don't know what it's like. It's all Potter's fault! He is why my father is in Azkaban!" Draco's words cut like a knife through the cold night air. They hung there for what seemed like a fortnight.

"I'm sorry Draco, I just want to help you."

"You want to help Pansy? You want to bloody help! Then leave me alone."

"Draco"

"Leave Pansy just go."

Pansy said nothing, but turned and left Draco alone at the lake. Draco could hear the faint sounds of her footsteps as they were carried into the castle.

Draco sat alone again and reached in his bag for his bottle of fire whiskey.

What am I going to do?

The wind blew through the trees as he racked his brain for a plan.

It has to work. I can't let my father down. I'm a Malfoy.. When this is all over everyone will get what they deserve. Father will get freedom and Potter, He will be in Fathers empty cell.

When he finished the whiskey, he through the empty bottle down. It rolled in the grass and came to a halt at his heels. The anger that he had built up over the past year was surging in him like a harsh unforgiving rain.

I have to do this alone. I know Persephone will want to come and help me. But she can't its too dangerous. She could get hurt.

The wind was now picking up. Draco shivered. He wished he had brought his coat and Russian cap but they were back in his dorm.

Why didn't I drink it slower?! Draco cursed himself.

Just then a boys voice broke the silence.

"Hey Malfoy!"

Draco turned to see Blaise. Blaise had a smile across his face. "I sent Potter flying across the great hall" he declared with an air that Draco had never heard in the six years he knew Blaise.

Zimbini chatted away happily.

Why won't he shut up? And effing leave me alone? Draco thought desperately.

Blaise continued to speak happily with hand gestures that were fitting of a sarority girl when the new fall fashions come out.

Shut up, I really don't care now! Draco thought ruefully.

"Holy mother of prada!" Blaise yelled.

Draco looked over and saw that Terry Boot was across the lawn.

"Oh! That sexy bitch! He is such a fox! Draco, do you think he knows how sexy is?"

Before Draco could answer, that he didn't care, Blaise ran off in pursuit of Mr. Boot.

He's never going to get him.

Draco lay on his back on the soft grass. Suddenly, Draco sat upright.

I need to ride a thestral to spring father!

The plan was perfect. After seeing his aunt die over the summer, Draco could see them.

So I know how I'm going to get there to spring him. But now I have to figure out what I'm going to do once I get there.

Draco got up, and went back to the castle. He went into his dorm. When he entered, he noticed that Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise were all already asleep. By the state of floor, Draco could see that Blaise was upset when he returned. His collection of pink shirts that were normally in a tidy stack in his trunk now lay scattered on the floor.

"What a drama queen" Draco muttered.

He went to the foot of his bed and pulled out his green silk pajamas. He pulled the covers back and climbed in bed. He pulled the green hangings around his bed and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Draco woke up and pulled on his clothes. He headed up to the great hall and took his usual seat next to Pansy.

Pansy kissed his cheek.

"Good morning Draco, what time did you get in last night?"

" Late"

"I'm sorry for upsetting you yesterday"

"Pansy, can we just forget about it?"

Pansy was in shock. But she just smiled and at him and said:

"Sure"

Pansy noticed that Draco had a gift for ignoring the things that he did not wish to acknowledge.

She also knew that talking to him about it would not get her anywhere so she sat in silence with him and ate her breakfast.

Blaise walked up to breakfast refreshed in his trademark 'I feel like a woman' shirt.

"Hey girl!" He said to Pansy as he sat down across from her and buttered a slice of toast for himself.

Pansy smiled politely.

"Hey Blaise and how are you on this fine morning?" She asked him with a pleasant smile.

"Girl I'm great!" he said as he flashed a white smile at her. The rest of the meal passed with out further discussion.

Persephone walked into the great hall and sat down on Draco's other side.

"Hey little brother!"

"Don't call me that please!"

Persephone smiled and said nothing to Draco. The bell rang and everyone departed for class. Draco turned to his sister and said:

"So see you tonight?" Persephone smiled and nodded at her brother.


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER I do not own the cannon characters. I am not making money off this it is all in fun.

CHAPTER 2

Draco walked up the cold stone steps that led into his dormitory and up to the common room. He held two bottles of fire whiskey in his hands. A smile came across his pale face when he saw his sister.

"Its family bonding time!" he announced as he handed her a bottle.

"Where have you been Draco?" She asked.

"You know around" he answered her simply. The two of them sat on the black leather sofa, drank their fire whiskey and talked about their week.

"Draco, I have heard things about something you did to potter, what exactly did you do?" Persephone asked smiling Draco.

"Oh, that!" Draco said with a laugh. "Well, I was walking down the charms corridor and I pantsed him"

Persephone laughed heartily at this.

"Nice Draco! Ten points!" Draco stood and mockingly took a bow. Just then Pansy walked in.

"Are you two drunk?!" she asked.

Persephone turned to see Pansy and answered with a sting:

"No we are bonding Parkinson!" Persephone rolled her eyes as she turned back around to Draco. It was no big secret that Persephone disliked Pansy. Pansy rolled her eyes.

"Parkinson, may I inquire as to why you have come to interrupt my bonding time with my brother?"

Pansy said nothing but looked toward Draco who was busy trying to catch a bit of fluff from the air. Pansy rolled her eyes again and walked out of the room.

"You know, you don't have to be rude to her, She is my best friend after all." Draco said to his sister quietly. Persephone looked at Draco slightly taken aback.

"Draco! I'm a Malfoy, I can and will do as I wish!" she retorted in a voice that was slightly louder then the situation called for.

"Hello! I'm a Malfoy! I know perfectly well what we are capable of!" Persephone knew she lost the disagreement so she hit her brother.

"Don't hit me!"

"I'll do what I want!" Draco knew his sister was giving up the disagreement and he won, therefore, things were to go back to normal.

Draco laughed at his sister.

" What is going on in here?" asked a voice from behind them.

"Hey Blaise!" Draco said happily. Blaise went and sat down on the edge of the sofa that Persephone and Draco were seated on.

"Again I ask you what is going on here?"

Draco put down his empty bottle and looked to Blaise.

"Family bonding time." He answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Family bonding?" Blaise repeated.

"Yes" Draco said simply.

Blaise shook his head.

"Let me get this straight. You call getting drunk with your sister family bonding?"

"I beg your pardon, but Malfoy's do not get drunk." Persephone dignantly replied. Blaise stood silently for a few seconds before saying:

"I bond with my sister as well but not by getting drunk!"

"Yes, Blaise, but unlike you, we are not into incest." Persephone said. Blaise began to sputter incoherently at this, while Draco and Persephone just laughed.

"Well, you, know come to think about it…." Draco said as he leapt on his sister.

" Ah! Draco! Dear lord get off me!" Draco laughed as he got up and sat back on his side of the sofa. Blaise sat in shock. Draco laughed at the look of udder horror on Blaise's face.

"Incest is best take your sister for a test!"

"Malfoy, that's nasty!" Blaise answered before he got up and left down to his dorm. Persephone waited until she heard the door shut before saying:

"Mum sent a letter today."

"How is he doing?"

"Not good, the verdict came today"

"And"

"Draco, he's getting the kiss."

Draco let out a sigh of frustration.

Persephone began to cry. Draco hugged his sister.

"I'm working on a plan to spring him from Azkaban." Draco said as he kissed Persephone's forehead.

"Draco, it's impossible!"

"Nothing is impossible Persephone."

"Draco, who ever said nothing was impossible obviously never tried to slam a revolving door." Draco smiled at his sister.

"I guess your right, but I can try"

"Draco…."

"Hey let's talk about something else shall we?" Draco offered with a smile.

"All right"

Draco grabbed Persephone's fire whiskey and took a drink. He set the bottle down on the table and asked his sister what happened in her last class. Persephone proceeded to tell Draco about the latest Ron / Hermione gossip.

"Eww! The weasel and the mudblood!"

"I know! Draco, I feel bad for you. You have classes with them."

Draco cringed.

"Persephone, please please please, don't remind me. Especially so close to my bed time."

"Sorry"

"No it's fine, let's change the subject. I know! Guess whom I saw at quidditch practice today? Flint and he tells me he thinks your pretty."

"Draco! How many times do I have to tell you- NO!"

"But" Draco protested. Persephone gave him a look that said, If- you- say- one- more- word- about- it- I- flipping'- swear- it- will- be- the- last- word- you- udder. Draco took the unsubtle hint, finished off his sisters fire whiskey and announced that he was going to turn in. Persephone followed suite.

Draco woke up the next morning around noon. When he walked down to the common room, he saw Persephone yelling at Pansy.

"YOU CAN'T CONTROL HIM!"

" I DON'T' TRY TO"

"OH COME ON! PARKINSON, YOU KNOW YOU TRY TO!"

"I DO NOT!"

Persephone rolled her eyes.

"LISTEN, MY BROTHER HAS TOLD ME HOW YOU CONSTANTLY PAW AT HIM LIKE SOME KIND OF TWO KNUT WHORE!"

Pansy scoffed indignantly at this.

"Oh see Parkinson, when you make noises like that, you only further enforce the fact that you look like a pig."

Pansy stood stunned and did not know what to say. Persephone simply smiled, turned on her heel and walked out of the common room to the corridor outside.

Pansy immediately turned to Draco and asked:

"Can you believe her?!" Draco said nothing but simply gave Pansy his trademark smirk and walked out to the Quidditch field for practice.

The quidditch field was damp from the previous day's rain. The Slytherin quidditch team was waiting for their seeker.

"Where have you been?" Flint asked in a loud voice, as Draco came walking up to him broom in hand.

"Sorry Flint, Persephone was yelling at Pansy. It was quite entertaining" Draco said with a small chuckle. At the mention of Persephone, Flint became much more attentive and alert.

"What did Pansy do to her?" Flint asked overly concerned.

"Pansy didn't do anything to her, she was pawing at me and well, you know how Persephone dislikes her. She was telling her to back off that's all." Draco answered with a shrug, and the air that suggested that he was always the victim of women pawing at him and that it was just a curse he had to live with.

Flint stood there waiting for Draco continue to talk about his sister, when he said nothing, Flint reluctantly called the team to begin to practice. Flint and the other two chasers threw the quaffel at the keeper mercilessly. While Crabbe and Goyle tried unsuccessfully to unseat someone with a bludger. Draco was catching and releasing the snitch as easily as if he was spreading butter on bread. Flint landed and motioned for his team to follow suite. When they landed, Flint announced that practice was over due to the coming rain. Flint gave a quick run down of how he thought practice went. He told Crabbe and Goyle that he thought they needed a lot more practice and that they were also getting very sloppy. He praised the rest of the team with a job well done.

Draco went to the locker rooms and took his shower. When he finished with his shower, he stepped out and pulled a towel from the rack and wrapped it around his waste. He found that he was the only one in the locker rooms. He resisted the urge to do a jig and instead, he dried himself off , got dressed and went to the castle for lunch.

When Draco entered the great hall, he saw Flint sitting unnecessarily close to Persephone, who had the look of murder in her eyes. Draco watched for a few moments and decided that in order to save himself from the wrath of his sister later that day, he should sit on her other side. Draco sat down and Persephone gave him a smile.

"So how was practice Draco?"

"Good, what did you do with your afternoon?"

"You know, the usual. I just spent the last three hours doing homework."

Draco nodded.

"Oh!" he said as he pulled out a crumpled piece of parchment from his robes. He handed her the parchment as he said. :

"Its from father, he sent it today, I was going to give it to you this morning, but of course you were having that row with Pansy."

Persephone scoffed.

"Draco, you know I don't like her."

"You know, you have never told why." Persephone rolled her eyes and looked around the great hall. Persephone grabbed Draco by the arm and drug him out of the great hall. When they reached the safety of a empty corridor three floors away, Persephone explained.

"Okay Draco, you want to know why I don't like her?"

Draco looked at his sister.

"She's a gold digger. I heard her talking to Millicent in your third year. She had plans to marry you and to get your inheritance. "

"Really?"

"Yes Draco, she's at the lake every night with some random guy. I just I don't want to see you get hurt. I don't want her around you! She's just going to use you! Which is what she's doing."

Draco looked at his sister with the intensity that suggested she had a terminal illness and it was up to him to tell her.

He looked to his feet for several moments.

"You sure?"

" Yes, I would never lie to you about something like this."

"Alright."

Draco stood silent. Persephone hugged him.

"I'm sorry. I wish I didn't have to be the one to tell you."

Draco smiled weakly at her and turned around and headed down the stairs. Persephone headed to her dorm.

The next morning, Persephone walked down to the lake for care of magical creatures. Hagrid was beginning a new section this one on kelpie. Persephone and the rest of the Slytherins stood in the back of the class while the Gryffindors all ran to the front of the class.

Flint walked up beside Persephone.

"So do you think we will ever be able to learn about non- man eating animals?" he asked her.

" I doubt it! Least we forget what he did to Draco!" Persephone had hated Hagrid since a hippogriff had almost killed Draco in his third year.

"Okay, now git wid yer partner fur class." Hagrid instructed. Flint immediately grabbed on to Persephone's arm and refused to let go of it.

"Oh look! Everyone has a partner, guess we have to work together."

"Joy" Persephone, said in a voice that was dripping with sarcasm.

Flint drug her to the front of class and did not seem to notice the 'Someone- please- shoot- me- now' look that was plastered on her face. The whole time Hagrid was giving instructions, Persephone could not stop thinking along the line of. Eww I need a shower and I need one now! Why does he insist on standing this close to me? She answered her own question with a mental Well I am a Malfoy. I guess I just have the Malfoy charm. Lord knows Draco has it.

When Persephone and Flint's turn came to ward off the kelpie. Persephone stepped into the Malfoy roll. "Set up here, git yer self ready he can cum fast."

Persephone looked at Hagrid as if he was something on the bottom of her shoe.

"No."

" But it's the lesson. Miss Malfoy you hafe to."

"Excuse me! I'm a Malfoy I can do what ever I want. My father could own this place you know he is a governor!" Hagrid was use to this speech. He got it at least twice a week. From Draco, in his mind pure bloods were all the same, spoiled stuck up brats.

When class was finally out Persephone walked with Flint trailing behind her like a lost puppy to the Slytherin common room. When they entered, Flint told Persephone for the seven-hundredth time that he thought that she was pretty. Persephone rolled her eyes and walked down to her dorm room. Flint walked out of the common room where he ran into Draco.

"Your sister is really bitchy today you know. Is it her time of the month?" Flint asked.

"What!" Draco asked in a scandalized tone. "I don't know! I don't ask my sister that! There are somethings that need to stay unspoken! And that my friend is one of them." Draco's voice rang off the walls. A smile came across Flint's face.

"She wants me!"

"What?"

"Your sister she wants me." Flint said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Draco stood and looked at Flint as if he had lost his marbles.

"Are you a bloody moron? My sister hates you! She thinks your gay and that you're in a relationship with Wood!"

"That's preposterous. She does not."

"You know Flint, denial isn't just a river in Egypt."

Flint began to laugh.

"Man for a few seconds, you had me going there." Flint clapped Draco on the shoulder turned and left still laughing before Draco could say anything else to him.

Draco turned and walked into the common room and left to go find his sister in her room. Persephone turned when she heard the door open.

" Hey Draco." She said when she saw him.

"Hey" he said as he sprawled out on the marble floor. He looked up questioningly at his sister.

"So what happened with flint today?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Draco said as he sat cross-legged. "He says you were bitchier then normal"

Persephone looked at Draco for a few seconds and proceeded to tell him about class and what transpired after. Draco laughed at the sound of horror that was in his sister's voice. Draco told her about what had happened in the hall.

"So he thinks your lying?"

"I guess so"

"Why is he so bloody stupid?"

"I'm not sure, I guess he just thinks your playing hard to get."

Persephone began to laugh.

"Draco I think we need to have family bonding time again."

"I catch your drift." Draco said as he got up and ran out the door to his dorm room. He returned a few minutes later with fire whiskey.

"Catch!" he said as he threw a bottle to his sister.

Draco sat down next to his sister.

"You know Draco, I think I should flaunt my cleavage more when I'm around him, you know have a bit of fun."

"Speaking of bits, I bet his would be hard if you did that."

Persephone began to laugh at this.

"I have to tell you something." Draco said to her with such intensity that it caused Persephone to lean forward with interest.

"I'm tipsy"

Persephone began to laugh at this. Draco stood up and began to rap.

"Eminem!" Persephone yelled happily!

"Yes it is."

Draco sat down after his 'rap'.

"I think you should let him rap Draco." Persephone said.

"Your probably right."

"You do have a prefects meeting Draco, you should probably go." With that they parted ways. Draco went to his meeting tipsy as usual.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer I do not own the canon characters or the world.

CHAPTER 3

After his prefects meeting, Draco ran into Blaise in the hall.

"Hey Draco, how was you meeting?"

"Slow, that know-it-all, Granger kept taking down notes." Draco said

Blaise rolled his eyes. The two of them walked down the hall and stopped in- front of the large hourglass that showed house points. Currently, Slytherin was in the lead. Draco and Blaise ran into Ron and Hermione walking toward them.

Blaise looked at Hermione and gave himself the look of having buckteeth. Ron and Hermione said nothing but just kept walking.

"Look at her Draco! She looks as if she's walked throw a wind storm and has neglected to wash and brush her hair in a fortnight!"

Draco laughed heartily at this. The pair of them swept past Hermione and Ron like a pair of children on their way to a candy store.

"You know Draco, I bet your sister would love to see Granger cry!"

Draco looked to Blaise and smiled.

"She makes Granger cry Blaise! It's quite funny really." Blaise looked to the clock and saw he was late for detention with Professor McGonagal.

"Crap! I'm late."

Draco cast him a sly glance.

"For what?"

"Detention"

Draco clapped his hand to his head.

"Good lord! What did you do now?"

"Nothing! All I did was pinch Terry's ass! It was harmless! I swear."

Draco smiled and the two parted ways.

Wow! Leave it to Blaise to do something like that.

Draco walked down to the great hall for dinner. He settled down in his usual seat next to his sister.

"How was your meeting?" She asked as Draco sat down and began to fill his plate with a large portion of steak and kidney pie.

"Oh you know, the usual." He answered with a shrug.

"I saw Granger, she looked she'd cried. Pity we missed it. I always do enjoy seeing her cry!" Persephone said. Draco chewed a large bite of is meal and looked at his sister.

"She cried?" he asked with a soft chuckle.

"It looked like it."

Draco began to laugh and proceeded to tell his sister all about how Blaise and himself had made fun of her again. Persephone hit her brother.

"How many times to I have to tell you? Don't make fun of her, Potter or the Weasel with out me."

Draco smirked and stated how he would do what he wanted. Persephone rolled her eyes. Draco sat in silence for what seemed like ages. All of Slytherin was eating their meals and gossiping happily about what had just transpired in the corridors between Ron, Hermione, Blaise and Draco. It brought great joy to the Slytherins to hear that once again the know-it-all was in tears and it was at the hands of a Malfoy. Some members of the house where slightly shocked that it was not Persephone who was behind it but Draco.

The house knew that Persephone would make a show of being upset with Draco and as usual not be upset with him at all and drop the act in less then a half hour. The Malfoy's lived by the phrase 'Blood is thicker then water'.

Draco would never admit it aloud, but he had a certain respect for his sister and the same was true of Persephone. The Slytherin house had no stronger ties then the Malfoy's. It was a known fact that when Persephone left at the end of the year all of her pull all of her power her high position in the Slytherin house would automatically be passed on to her younger brother Draco Malfoy.

Pansy walked by and smiled at Draco. Persephone flipped her off and wished she were not in the same room as her. Pansy walked out of the great hall her face, a shade of red that could rival Ron Weasly. Draco was upset by the way that his sister treated Pansy. Draco tried over and over again to get Persephone to be nicer to Pansy, but all his trying was in vain. For he knew that when his sister had her mind made up about this or that, that was it and there was nothing he or anyone could say or do to change that. This of course would frustrate Draco in a way that Persephone would find absolutely hysterical.

When they finished their meal, Draco rose from his seat and asked his sister to accompany him on a walk. Persephone agreed only when she found out that Draco wanted to talk to her regarding Lucis condition. When they got outside, Draco was silent. Finally, it was Persephone who broke the silence.

"So Draco, about father, what is his condition?"

Draco stood for a few moments; he looked at his sister, his expression far from positive. Persephone could feel a lump in her throat forming, she wished her brother would tell her what he knew. Draco took a deep breath and began:

"The healers don't think he'll last the night. I found out this afternoon and I haven't been able to tell you till now."

Persephone stood temporarily dumb founded by this information.

"He refuses to let you or I see him. Mum is there, she sent the letter to me."

The words hung in the cold night air for what seemed like years. Draco hugged his sister tightly as she cried.

"You have always been there for me. Now it's my turn. You lean on me for strength and support this time."

Persephone felt utterly alone. She was after all everything to her father. She was his pride and joy. She never displeased him. She could not bear the thought of disappointing him. She always met his approval.

Draco was wrestling with his own demons. He was angry with himself for not having come up with a plan to spring his father from jail, from certain death. It was too late now. He looked and saw Dumbledor walking towards them. He knew it was bad.

"Ah Mr. and Miss. Malfoy perfect, I have been looking for you, I have a letter for you, it just arrived a few moments ago."

Draco took the letter from Dumbledor and cast him a scornful look. Dumbledor smiled pleasantly and walked back to the castle. Persephone and Draco stood quietly before Draco opened the letter. He immediately looked to his sister, his face fell.

"What is it?"

"It's father, he's…"

Persephone stood quietly tears flowing silently from her eyes. Draco pulled her into a comforting hug. He led his sister back to the castle and into his room. The two of them sat on the floor and mourned the loss of their beloved father.

The next day found Pansy-comforting Draco over his loss.

"I'm so sorry Draco I wish that I could do something for you. How's Persephone doing?"

"She's worse then me. She needs me now and I feel guilty that I'm not able to be there to help her."

Pansy took Draco into a warm hug.

"Draco, she understands that you're hurting too. You two need each other."

Draco smiled and said nothing, after a few more moments, Pansy released him and kissed his cheek.

"I'll be back later alright"

"Thank you Pansy."

Pansy got up and left Draco in solitude. Pansy headed up to the library where she found Persephone.

"Persephone?" she asked hesitantly. Persephone looked up from the book she was reading.

"Draco's not here." She said shortly.

"I know" Pansy said as she pulled out a chair and took a seat across from Persephone.

"I've just come back from his room. He feels awful, he feels he should be with you all the time right now, he really loves you Persephone."

Persephone looked at Pansy.

"I know he loves me, he always has in a brother sister way of course."

"Of course" Pansy said wit a slight smile. "Look Persephone, I know you don't like me, but there is something I want you to know."

Persephone closed her book, her face expressionless.

"Well." She said after a moment.

"I know you over heard Millicent and I in my third year."

Persephone pursed her lips at this.

"Please let me finish Persephone."

Persephone sat in silence, which told Pansy she could continue.

"I've changed, I'm not like I use to be. I could care less now about his money."

Persephone broke in.

"I get the bulk of the money."

Pansy smiled.

"I didn't know that, it makes sense, you are the eldest." Pansy smiled again.

"Also, Persephone, I haven't been with anyone at the lake in ages. I love Draco. I hope that you can see past how I use to be and see how I have changed, see how much I love Draco. I really don't want you to keep him from me. I know you don't control him, but he loves you, he wants your approval, he doesn't want to upset you! I love him so much I hope you can see that."

Persephone smiled at Pansy.

"Okay"

"What?"

"Okay Pansy, If you want to date Draco, I'll be quite, I wont say anything to him I know I may have influenced him in the past. Make him happy. But I swear, if you hurt him mentally, physically, or emotionally….."

"I promise you I'd never dream of hurting Draco."

Persephone smiled.

"What made you change your mind?"

"Father's death."

"Oh, I'm so sorry Persephone."

Pansy moved closer to Persephone and gave her a quick hug.

"I have to go back to Draco now, I told him I'd be back. I'm just trying to be there for him right now, you know." Pansy smiled.

"I know"

Pansy got up and headed back to Draco's room.

When she arrived, she knocked quietly at Draco's door. Pansy could hear a soft shuffling and rustling around from inside of Draco's room. When he arrived at the door it was obvious he had been crying. He looked at Pansy without saying anything. Pansy smiled.

"Draco, may I come in?" She asked hesitantly. Draco said nothing but took her by the hand and gently pulled her into his room and closed the door. Pansy sat next to him on his bed.

" I've just come from the library where I talked with your sister. I know she has told you why she dislikes me so much. But I swear to you I don't think that way anymore. I love you. I told Persephone that as well, she believes me now she made it clear that she has never kept us from being together. She did admit that she might have influenced you. But she is looking past the old me now. She wants you to be happy."

Draco smiled at Pansy. He had a tear falling from his face. Pansy silently wiped it away softly. Draco smiled weakly at her and brushed a lock of hair from her face.

"I want you to be happy as well Draco, I love you."

He kissed her forehead gently as he took her in his arms. "I'm just glad my sister has finally agreed to stop influencing me and living off old conversations she heard." Pansy laughed softly.

"I know what you mean Draco."

Pansy closed her eyes and fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer I do not own the canon characters or the world.

CHAPTER 4

"So are you happy?" Persephone asked her brother as he walked groggily up the stairs to the common room later that night. Draco flopped on the couch across from her as he picked up a glass of water that Persephone conjured up with a wave of her wand. Draco said nothing but began to stir the water with his right index finger.

"Yes, I am. I really love her." He said as he looked to his sister. Persephone sat up a little straighter in her chair.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yes"

"But you just got together tonight."

"I know, but I have felt this way about her for the past few years."

"Years? Draco, sweet heart. Did you say years?"

"Yes Persephone I did."

Persephone sat exasperated.

"Since when?" she asked as she rubbed her left temple.

"Since the Yule ball in my fourth year."

"Funny, I don't remember the Yule ball. I've heard loads about it."

"Of course you don't you got yourself drunk before it started since you ended up having to go with Flint." Draco answered with a laugh. Persephone smiled.

"Yes maybe it's a good thing I don't remember it then."

"I called Flint away from you when I knew it was getting to the point that you would have vomited from him being so close to you." Draco said with a smirk.

"Draco, listen. I'm sorry for everything." Persephone looked to her hands as soon as she apologized. Draco got up from is seat and walked to his sister. "Don't worry about it, I understand you were just trying to protect me from what you thought was not right for me."

He said with a smile as he hugged his sister.

"Well, I'm glad that you're happy now that you're with Pansy."

Draco sensed a hint of sadness in her voice as she spoke these words. He sighed quietly as he hugged her tighter.

"Persephone, you will find someone soon. And he will be a very lucky lad to have you. And for you to not want to vomit when he comes near you like you do when Flint comes near you."

Persephone rolled her eyes.

"Draco don't lie."

"I'm not lying. I'm telling you if I wasn't your brother I'd"

"You'd what" she asked in a scandalized tone.

"I would have already jumped your bones."

Persephone laughed a little.

"Thank you Draco I needed that bit of humour."

"I'm serious! Persephone! I would have. You should know when I'm being serious."

Persephone smiled to herself.

"Well Draco pansy truly is a lucky lass. To have you to love care for and protect her. I only hope to be as lucky."

"You will be."

"Draco, is she staying with you now that father is gone?"

"Yes, actually, she fell asleep on my shoulder earlier in the evening. She's out like a light in my bed. I came up here to talk with my sister."

"So you're telling me that she is asleep in your bed and you're up here talking with your sister? What if she wakes up and sees that you are gone, how would she take it?"

"Way ahead of you sister! I left a note explaining where I am in case she wakes up."

Persephone stifled a large yawn.

"Well Draco, it's late I think I'm going to turn in." She stretched and got up from her seat with the grace of a gazelle.

The next day found Draco walking around the lake. Pansy was skipping rocks. Her face lit up with a smile like a candle in a darkened room when she saw Draco. She let out a long loud squeal, which was extremely out of character for her. She dropped the stone in her hands and ran toward Draco. She leapt into his arms.

"Good morning!" she said happily then gently kissed his lips.

"Good morning love" was his simple answer. He spun around with Pansy, still hanging on with both arms wrapped tightly around his neck. Pansy giggled happily as he set her down then kissed her forehead.

"How was your evening." he asked,

"When I went back to my room your note said you had to go back to yours."

"Not great, I spent the whole time wondering how you were and wishing I hadn't left your room."

Draco smiled. He couldn't help himself. He knew she loved him he felt the same way about her. He had loved her for the past two years. Pansy had no idea how long he had loved her. Pansy had loved him since her first time on the Hogwarts express. She had never forgotten how he had swept into her compartment with one swift movement. He had talked with her and the others in the compartment the entire way. Pansy knew it sounded crazy and lame, but she knew in that exact moment six years ago that she loved him and that she would always love him no matter what happened to her or him. Pansy often thought back on the first time her and Draco met.

"Pansy?" Draco's voice broke the semi-trance that she was in.

"I'm sorry what?" she asked as she shook her head.

"Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

"Yes I am." she said with a smile. Draco took her hand in his and let her around the lake.

"You were spacing out sweet heart." Draco said to her with a simple smile.

"I was just thinking back to the first time we met." Draco smiled and Pansy knew that he remembered.

"On the Hogwarts express in our first year, you had on a black dress with heals. It was very nice."

"You remember what I was wearing?" Pansy asked in a shocked voice. Draco smiled as he pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head.

"Of course." Pansy smiled as she told Draco how lucky she felt that she was with him. She gently kissed him as they walked over to a vacant spot of grass. They sat down as Pansy settled herself in Draco's arms.

"Hey Pansy, no ones around, there all in Hogsmead."

"Okay…" Pansy said in a voice that let Draco know she had no idea what he was getting at.

"So…"

Pansy looked at Draco. She could tell from the glint in his eyes what he was suggesting. Pansy smiled to herself and laughed a bit.

"Draco, we're out side. Are you bloody crazy?" Draco chuckled a bit.

"Point taken and filed Pansy. I get it." He shook is head at his stupidity.

"Sorry, I should never of even asked that."

"Don't worry about it, it's not a big deal."

A large black cloud was slowly moving over head from the forbidden forest where a permanent cloud of mist twisted it's self mournfully through the trees. Pansy looked up as a drop of rain hit her face.

"It's raining" Draco said more to himself then to Pansy. She said nothing, but slowly and reluctantly tore herself from Draco's arms. Draco stood and helped her to her feet, he led her by the hand back to his dorm.

When they got back, Draco asked her to sit down because he had something for her. Pansy sat on his bed confused. Draco walked to his trunk and dug to the very bottom. He rose and brought with him a small box. He blew the dust off of it and presented Pansy with the emerald green box.

"I got this for you after we went to the Yule ball, I've had it ever since. I was waiting until we were together." Pansy looked at him.

"You've had it since the Yule ball? But Draco that was-."

"Two years ago I know."

"That's so sweet Draco."

Pansy opened the box and found a ring, an emerald in a platinum setting. She looked at Draco and smiled.

"It's beautiful Draco. Thank you." Draco smiled and kissed her forehead.

"I saw it in the store and I knew that I wanted you the only girl I have ever loved or ever will love to have it." Pansy smiled as Draco slipped it on her finger.

There was a soft knock at the door.

"Draco? Are you in there? It's me" came the voice of Persephone who sounded slightly frantic. Draco rushed to the door worried and confused. He flung the door open and Persephone's expression was one of relief when she saw him.

"Finally! I've been looking all over for you." She said as she entered. She smiled at Pansy when she saw her. She turned back to her brother.

"Mum sent the will today, it's split 60-40. But I want it to be 50-50, so I'm giving you an extra 10 percent. Mum said it's legal. I see that this is a bad time. But if this is to be done Mum has to sent it back with in 24 hours of her picking it up. So there is only 4 hours for me to send it to her, her to send it to the legal people and them to send a confirmation to her. So quickly I need you to sign this paper."

Draco looked at her as if she was losing her marbles. He signed the paper for her. She looked as if she had run a marathon and had to run again, she hugged pansy and Draco, bid them a good morning and left.

Draco sat next to Pansy and took her into his arms.

"That was very kind of her to give you part of her inheritance."

"It was." Draco said simply and Pansy could tell he did not want to discuss the inheritance or his dead father.

"I think I'm going to go find Millicent, I haven't talked to her for a few days."

"Oh okay, see you later then Pansy." Pansy got up and left Draco alone. Draco laid back on his bed and stared at the canvas covering on his bed.

Draco didn't know how long he had been asleep, but he was jerked awake by a loud slamming of the dorm door. Blaise walked trough the door.

"Hey Draco." Blaise said his voice full of its usual feminine bounce.

"Sorry the door slammed, I didn't mean to close it that loud."

"Don't worry about it." Blaise went and sat down on his bed across from Draco. He had a look on his face that he knew something and he was dying to tell Draco. Draco sat up and rolled his eyes.

"Okay, what do you know Blaise?" Draco asked in an exasperated voice. Blaise clapped his hands gleefully and rolled onto his back, kicking his legs in the air, giggling like the little girl inside. Draco waited for Blaise to control himself, which was an action Draco was very tired of now. For six years he had put up with Blaise it was getting very old and very exasperating.

"Okay." Blaise began once he had contained himself.

"I've only just come form the common room." He said as he wiped a tear from his eye.

"And, your sister." Blaise was doubled over with laughter. Draco sighed loudly.

"What about her Blaise?" he asked in annoyed tones. Blaise put his hand up to silence Draco as he took a deep breath.

"Your sister was on the sofa, when Flint came up to her. He began talking to her, telling her how sorry he was about your father and if she need anything he was there for her, and she in a very loud voice asked him to get away, when he refused, she hit him square in the nose and made it bleed." After finishing his story, Blaise began to laugh again.

"She hit him?" Draco asked. Blaise nodded to confirm the incident. Draco couldn't help it, a smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Maybe now it will teach him not to talk to her when she wants to be let alone." Blaise said amidst fits of hysterical laughter. Draco smiled and shook his blonde head.

"That's not likely Blaise, you know how Flint is he's a very slow learner."

"That's true, he'll most likely have to be hit another two or three times, before he actually wakes up and gets the fact that your sister wants nothing to do with him. It's been how long since he has been after her and been shot down all the time?" Blaise asked Draco.

"Seven years."

"That's ridiculous! He should have learned by now." Blaise laughed. Draco looked at him and shook his head.

"It's kind of like you and Terry." Draco pointed out.

"It is nothing like Terry and I." Blaise said. "For one thing I have never approached Terry in that form, you know that. It's very different."

Draco looked at Blaise. "Okay, your right it's different." No it's not, it's the same bloody thing! He just has never said no. That's the only difference! Draco thought to him self desperately.

Blaise smiled at Draco.

"See I knew you would understand. I'm going up to the common room to see if Persephone is still there, want to come?"

"Sure, Blaise, I'll come. I'd like to see Flint with a bloody nose." He said. The two boys left and headed up to the common room. They found Persephone yelling at Flint.

"FLINT YOU'RE ARROGANT AND I DON'T WANT YOU!"

"Yes you do."

"YOU'RE SO CONCEDED!" Persephone turned and walked towards the door. Flint tried to run after her but Draco beat him to it. Draco came, face to with his sister in a rather upset state.

"Hey Persephone. I saw what happened." Persephone's expression softened a bit when she saw her brother.

"Oh, that. Yeah I tried to get him to back off, but." She shrugged off the end of her sentence.

"But what?" Draco urged. Persephone shifted her weight uncomfortably.

"It's just that, Draco, he's a punk. And I wish he would leave me alone. Why is it that only the creepy guys or old ones want to date me?"

"Oh Persephone, that's not true." Draco said comfortingly to his sister. Persephone sat on a bench in the corridor and let out a long sigh. Draco sat next to her and patiently waited her to answer.

"Draco, you're sweet. But it is true and you know it. Look at Flint he's creepy! Avery is as old as Father was! He wants me as well. I just, I'm so sick and tired of all this." Persephone buried her hands in her face, as she began to cry. Draco pulled her into a comforting, brotherly hug.

"Persephone, please don't cry. I hate it when you cry. I feel like a horrid brother when you cry."

"You're right, Draco, you're right." Persephone said as she wiped tears from her face. "I really must stop crying and move on. It's no big deal, right?"

Draco smiled at his sister as he moved a strand of hair from her face.

"That's it. That's the sister I know." He said to her as she gave him a weak smile. Persephone hugged her brother then rose from her seat.

"Come on! Let's go do something fun, we could go to the three broomsticks in Hogsmead." Draco stood up as well.

"That sounds like a fun thing to do. I have wanted to go to the three broomsticks again as well. And we can have some family bonding time as well."

Persephone smiled as she said;

"Oh yes, I can get drunk!" Draco laughed at his sister's enthusiasm of drinking. Persephone smiled at her brother as he began to walk out the doors and towards Hogsmead.

When they arrived, Draco went to the counter and ordered the drinks. He walked back to the table slowly, careful not to spill even a drip of alcohol on the floor.

"Here," he said as he placed a drink in front of his sister. "You bought last time, It's my turn this time."

"Thanks Draco."

The pair drank their drinks happily and talked about how to have the most fun.

"You know Draco, muggles sing in public."

"I catch your drift!"

"Sing "Rodeo" for me!"

"All right!" Draco stood up from his chair and walked over to the counter, he told Madam Rosemerta what he was about to do. She smiled at Draco and consented to his wishes. She cleared a space for him to stand and waved her wand the tune magically engulfed the bar and Draco began to sing.

"His eyes are cold and restless his wounds have almost healed, and she'd give half of Texas just to change the way he feels. She knows his loves in Tulsa and she knows he's gonna go. Well it ain't no woman flesh and blood it's that damned old rodeo. It's the bulls and blood it's the dust and mud it's the roar of a Sunday crowd, it's the white in his knuckles it's the gold in the buckle he'll win in the next go 'round it's boots and chaps it's cowboy hats, it's spurs and ladigo it's the ropes and the reins it's the joy of the pain and they call the thing rodeo. She does her best to hold him. When his love comes to call, but his need for it controls him and her backs against the wall. And it's so long girl I'll see you when it's time for him to go. You know the woman wants her cowboy, like he wants his rodeo. It's the bulls and blood it's the dust and mud it's the roar of a Sunday crowd, it's the white in his knuckles it's the gold in the buckle he'll win in the next go 'round it's boots and chaps it's cowboy hats. It's spurs and ladigo. It's the ropes and the reins it's the joy of the pain and they call the thing rodeo. It'll drive a cowboy crazy, it'll drive the man insane. And he'll sell off every thing he owns just to pay to play her game. And a broken home and some broken bones is all he'll have to show for all the years that he spent chasing this dream they call rodeo. It's the bulls and blood it's the dust and mud it's the roar of a Sunday crowd, it's the white in his knuckles it's the gold in the buckle he'll win in the next go 'round it's boots and chaps it's cowboy hats. It's spurs and ladigo. It's the ropes and the reins it's the joy of the pain and they call the thing rodeo. It's the broncs and the blood it's the steers and the mud and they call the thing rodeo."

The crowd clapped as Draco stepped down from the counter; he went and sat down with his sister.

"That was excellent Draco!"

"I know." Draco answered in the most vain voice Persephone had ever heard.

She rolled her eyes at her brother. "Just finish your drink, will you."

"Spoke with Pansy today.."

"And?"

"She loves me."

"That's great Draco." Persephone said in an irritated voice.

Draco set his drink down. He rubbed his temple. "Look, Persephone, I'm sorry you don't have anyone, and I'm sorry that"

"That what Draco? That the only person interested in me is denying the fact that he's gay. Or the fact that a man who is mothers age wants to marry me? Which is it Draco?"

"Don't get upset. I'm just saying."

"Just drop it. I'm happy for you. I'm glad you're happy with Pansy."

Draco wanted to say something, but knew his sister and knew better then to press a subject that she so desperately wanted to keep quite about. He picked his drink up and finished it without a word.

"I got top marks in potions today."

"Really? That's great. You've always been brilliant in that class." Draco said.

"Professor Snape reckons I could go into healing next year."

Draco looked up at his sister. "Healing?"

Persephone nodded. Draco looked around and leaned in closer.

"He needs healers on his side, Persephone." Draco whispered.

"I know. Father told me that a long time ago. Snape's sent an owl to mother telling her I can be a healer. No other information of course." Persephone ordered another drink for herself and one for Draco when Madame Rosemerta walked by their table. She brought the drinks to them a few minutes later.

"Thank you Madame Rosemerta."

"So, is mother going to get in contact with him?" Draco asked.

Persephone shrugged. "Not sure. If she doesn't then Professor Snape will of course. He's really close with him."

Draco looked worriedly at his sister. "What are you going to do? You don't want to join."

"It will also be harder for me to not join since I'm a Malfoy and our Aunt is Bellitrix Lastrange. Family bonds and blood little brother, family bonds and blood."

Draco nodded. "I know. I'll be in the same situation as you next year. Father always wanted us to join." He smiled sadly at his sister. Persephone took another drink.

"It was expect of us Draco." She answered quietly.

Draco said nothing. He knew she was right. Even though they didn't want to join, they were almost forced to. It was expected of them. After all, their mother and Aunt were members. If they walked away from what the family viewed as 'the right thing to do is to keep the wizarding world pure' they would be no better then the blood trader Weasleys. That wasn't an option if you were a Malfoy. Draco and his sister knew they had to change tat some how. Persephone had a better chance then Draco. Persephone let out a long slow sigh.

"I'm sacred Draco."

Draco looked down at the table that bore the scars of many years. Burns from plates. Chunks missing from fights that got out –of-hand.

"I know."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer I do not own the cannon characters or the world.

Chapter 5

"What if I get caught? What if they think I'm a member? I have the mark already. We both do for that matter."

Draco noticed how when Persephone said 'the mark' she instinctively pulled her left sleeve down further toward her wrist. Draco looked down and saw his mark was completely covered.

"We're not going to get caught, there's no way we can. Aunt Bellitrix has taught us Occlumency, we can close our minds. It's all right as long as no one sees our left arms we'll be fine. Therefore, with the Occlumency, no one will know we are not on his side." Said Draco still being careful to keep his voice down.

Persephone finished her drink and rose from her chair. Draco looked at her and stood as well they paid for their drinks and walked out of the pub.

Persephone walked down the cold corridors the next day. She saw a boy of sixteen or seventeen that she had never seen before walking towards her.

"Oi! Excuse me, can you help me? I'm lost."

Persephone walked towards him. "You must be new. What are you looking for?"

The boy took a crumpled piece of parchment from his pocket. "The Slytherin common room. It says to find the dorm in there marked seventh years in the boys hall."

"Sure I'm in Slytherin, my brother is as well this way." She said as she turned and motioned for the boy to follow.

"My name's Achilles by the way." He said in an effort to further break the ice.

"Persephone."

"That's a pretty name. It's from Mythology right?"

"Yes, my mother found it."

Achilles looked around the corridors of Hogwarts.

"Achilles is from Mythology as well."

"So why'd you come here?"

"Moved." He answered simply.

"From where?" Persephone asked.

"Athens."

"I love Athens! My brother and I went there last summer on holiday. Lovely city. Lovely people as well. Very kind." They walked down the corridors of Hogwarts together.

"Left here." Persephone said, as they, came to another corridor. They turned down the corridor and walked a few more feet. Persephone stopped in front of a large stonewall.

"Now to get in there you have to use a password. The password changes, but Professor Snape will tell us when it changes. Right now the password is 'Pure-blood'" The stone moved as soon as she said the password. Achilles stood there for a few moments not sure what to do.

"Go ahead." Persephone said as she motioned for Achilles to precede her through the door.

"So this is the common room. Oh and don't tell anyone the password. Only Slytherins are to know our password."

"Got it." Achilles said with a nod of his head.

"The boy's hall is down this way. Come on." Achilles followed Persephone. She stopped at a door marked 'Seventh years'

"Here you are." She said smiling.

Suddenly the door flew open. Flint was standing there smiling.

"I knew I heard you. So are you finally going to admit that you want me?"

"Oh for the love of- Flint I don't like you! I've only come this way to show Achilles where his room is." Flint looked to Achilles for a moment then turned his attention back to Persephone.

"Sure, you did Persephone. I know you. You've shown interest in me in the past."

"When?!"

"Two years ago when we went to the Yule Ball."

"Flint, if you recall I was drunk before I left to meet you! I only went with you as a favor to Draco!"

Flint rolled his eyes at this comment. He looked at Achilles.

"She's in denial."

"Some how I don't believe that. She seems pretty genuine when she says she doesn't fancy you."

Achilles looked to Persephone. "So who is this Draco?"

"My brother."

"Oh okay."

"He's on my quidditch team." Flint said this with the air that because Draco was on the quidditch team that this some how meant something.

"Flint, you're only captain because Snape feels bad that you're repeating your seventh year."

"That's not it Persephone and you know it."

"Well, they'll let anyone be captain right? After-all Potter is captain for Gryffindor."

"Oh BURN!" Draco yelled.

Persephone turned around and saw that Draco had walked up behind her.

"Hey Draco." Persephone said as she hugged her brother. "This is Achilles, he's new and a seventh year. Achilles this is Draco, he's a sixth year."

Draco and Achilles exchanged greetings. Draco turned his full attention to Flint.

"Flint, will you please leave my sister alone? I'm really tired of it. She doesn't like you. The more you keep pestering her the more she dislikes you! Why can't you see that?"

Flint looked like he had been hit in the stomach. This look however did not stop Draco.

"She really can't stand you. Why do you think she was drunk before you took her to the Yule ball? Simple. So she wouldn't get sick all over her clothes!"

Flint looked at Persephone. "You really hate me that much?"

"I don't hate Flint."

Achilles looked around the small corridor that felt smaller by the second.

"Listen, Flint. If you just back off a bit maybe someday down the road my sister will date you."

"DRACO!"

Draco looked to his sister. "Well what do you want me to say?"

"Not that! Listen Flint, you're just not my type. You're too self-centered. You're too.."

"Fragile?" Flint offered hopefully.

"Sure why not. If that will keep you happy and away from me I'll say that."

"So the reason you're not going to date me is because I'm fragile and you're afraid you'd hurt me and you want to protect me by saying I'm not your type?"

Persephone rolled her eyes. "Whatever helps you sleep Flint." Draco turned and left his sister in the hall with Flint and Achilles. Persephone looked at Achilles.

"So this is your room. Flint is one of your roommates. Just come find me Achilles if you need anything. I'll be in my room."

"I will, thanks."

Persephone smiled at Achilles and left.

"So Flint is it? How long have you been after her?"

"What?"

"How long have been after Persephone?"

"Seven years."

Achilles's eyes widened at this information. Wow, you'd think after seven years a guy would get a clue that she doesn't want to have anything to do with him. I'd be really pissed if I were Draco. Some freak pinning after one of my sisters like that. Achilles shivered at the thought of someone after one of his sisters like that.

"Seven years huh? Wow."

"She's playing hard to get that's all."

"You think so?" Because I don't; I think she hates you, but is too nice to say the words I hate you.

"Of course."

Achilles began to put his clothes and books away.

"She's pretty. She seems nice. I've only just met her mind you."

"She is nice. And she's not pretty, she's beautiful."

"Whatever, it's the same thing man."

"It is not. Pretty is what you say about your friend who just got dumped to keep her spirits up. Beautiful is totally different."

"Got it."

"Good. I'm glad we got that straightened out."

"Listen, man, I'm going to go walk around this place try to find things, see you later."

Achilles left Flint alone in their room. He walked into the common room and found Persephone drinking shots on the sofa. He walked over to her.

"Are you allowed to do that?"

Persephone looked at Achilles slightly annoyed.

"Let me explain something, I'm a Malfoy. I'm allowed to do what I please. My father was a school governor."

Achilles sat next to her. "Was? What happened? Did he get sacked?"

"He died."

Achilles felt the bottom of his stomach drop out. "I'm sorry. I didn't know. How long ago?"

"A few days."

"How?"

"He was sick. Draco and I knew it was going to happen."

Achilles sat in silence not knowing what to say. Persephone smiled sadly at Achilles. She got up and walked over to the fire. She picked up a new log and set it on the fire.

"So are you going to go back to Athens ever for holiday?" Achilles asked Persephone. Changing the subject.

"No, I don't think so. It was kind of a one time deal you know."

"Shame. I'm going back for a visit, my family you know."

Persephone nodded. "Going to New York in the fall."

"Ah, the Big Apple. Never been there. This is the first time I've been out of Italy."

"I've always wanted to go to New York. Draco's not sure if he's going to come or not. He has a girlfriend now. I invited her along as well."

"Does his girlfriend go here as well?"

"Yes. She's in Slytherin too. Her names Pansy; Pansy Parkinson, you'll meet her if you hang around my brother and or I very long."

Achilles looked at Persephone with a slightly puzzled expression. "Is that a bad thing? Is she horrible?"

"What? No, not at all she's very kind. She really likes Draco and that's all that matters."

"You and Draco are very protective over each other aren't you?"

Persephone smiled. "True we are. Draco is more protective of me then I am of him though."

"Of course he is. You're his sister. Even though you're older, in the mind of a brother age doesn't matter. It's his duty if you will, to protect his sister." Achilles said this to her as if she should have known this already.

Persephone smirked.

"You have an older sister?"

"And a younger one."

"I bet you're a protective brother."

"That display of protectiveness I saw from Draco…. Exactly what I would have done."

Persephone looked down at the clock on the table that was a sundial, which had been magically fixed to show the time in the dungeons. A shadow that was colored green was there to show the time.

"Oh no! I'm late! Pomfrey is going to kill me! Achilles, I'm sorry but I have to go. Talk to you later?"

"Sure. Got lessons?"

"Yes, I'm studying extra to be a healer. I really gotta go. Bye." Persephone grabbed her bag and dashed from the room at top speed.

At lunch that afternoon, Persephone had saved a seat for Achilles at the Slytherin table. Draco saw him first and flagged him over. Achilles smiled and sat down next to Persephone. Grateful that they had been kind enough as to save him a seat.

"How was your first lesson?" Persephone asked.

"It was okay. There was an annoying git in the class. Someone clad in Yellow."

"Oh it was a Hufflepuff. You have Runes don't you?"

Achilles nodded.

"Potions is loads better, just wait you'll see."

"Isn't that right after lunch?" Achilles asked rummaging in his bag for a schedule.

"Yes." Answered Draco before taking a bite of salad.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I'm being rather rude. Achilles, this is Pansy, my girlfriend. Pansy, this is Achilles."

"Hi, Draco's told me about you. Sorry you share a room with Flint."

"It's fine. He talks non-stop about your sister though." He added to Draco.

"Speaking of which, Perseph." Draco nodded towards the door. Flint was scanning the table for Persephone.

"Quick! Do something!" she pleaded.

"Like what!?"

"Anything!"

"Just don't make eye contact!"

"Draco, that doesn't work with Flint! Your sister is going to have to disappear for him to leave her alone."

"Wait, Pansy, what about metaphorically disappear?"

"What do you mean Draco?" Pansy asked.

"Just wait and see."

"Draco, what are you going to do to me?!"

Before Draco could answer his sister, Flint walked over.

"Hello Persephone."

"Flint, you do know that my sister is a lesbian right?"

Pansy fought hard to keep her face straight.

"No she isn't."

"Oh but she is."

"She dated five guys form school already."

"It was a cover Flint." Pansy helped.

"A cover?"

"That's right." Draco answered convincingly.

Flint looked to Persephone for a moment then back at the other three.

"Riiiiiight. I see, just making me work harder to date you huh? I see. No problem." He said to Persephone as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Flint walked off grinning like a small schoolboy.

Persephone was left feeling horrified. She turned to her brother and smacked him upside the head.

"What was that?! Draco! Why? Why! Why would you do such a thing!"

"Relax! Persephone! It worked didn't it? You can thank me later!"

"Thank you? You expect me to thank you? Draco you must be out of your mind."

Persephone rose from the table. Draco grabbed her by the arm.

"Perseph! Wait. Don't make a scene."

"Scene? I'm not making a scene, not yet at least."

"Please, just sit. I'm sorry I was wrong and never should have said what I said." Draco apologized.

Persephone sat after a few moments of thinking. She said nothing to her brother for a while.

"Draco, how was that metaphorically disappearing?" Pansy asked.

Draco took a breath and smiled.

"Well, if he thinks she's gay, she will 'disappear'." As he said 'disappear' he used air quotes that made Achilles laugh out loud.

Pansy turned to Achilles and smiled. "He does things like that quite often…" she paused a moment racking her brain for his name, when it didn't come to her she sighed. "I'm sorry, I forget your name."

Achilles smiled. "It's Achilles."

Draco rolled his eyes. "I just told you his name Pansy."

"Draco, you know I'm bad with names! For the longest time I called Crabbe and Goyal 'Draco's friends.' Okay."

"And you referred to me as 'Draco's sister.'" Persephone offered.

"Exactly! See how bad I am with names!"

Draco smirked at Pansy. "And when you have a child and forget what you named it, you'll call it hey my child."

Persephone laughed at this.

"I will not! Draco."

"Sounds like you might." Achilles added to the conversation.

Persephone turned to him.

"You know, I think I'm going to like hanging around with you."

"That would be a first for her." Draco said to Achilles. "Normally, she can't stand being around new people, she's very self-centered a lot of times."

Persephone looked guiltily at Achilles. "He's right." She admitted.

"At least you admit it. That is the first step to recovery, admitting you have a problem." Achilles said with a smile.

"Ha! See Draco, there is hope for your sister." Persephone said triumphantly to Draco.

When the bell rang signaling the end of lunch and the start of classes, the all rose from their seats and said their farewells. Persephone and Achilles headed off towards Runes.

"So….you have gone here all 6 years so far?" Achilles asked Persephone.

"Yeah.." She answered.

"You like it then?"

"It's alright. My Mother and Father went here you know."

"How long has the school been around?"

"About 400 hundred years maybe? I don't know." She said.

Achilles nodded not knowing what to say.

"So Achilles, you attended school in Athens?"

"Yes, I went to The Athenian Academy of Magic."

"Was it nice there?"

"It was, it was different form here."

"How?" she asked interested in his school.

Achilles walked a bit faster when they crossed the lawn as a short cut.

"There weren't houses, like here just dorms and you had a roommate, unless you had special reasons to have a private room. I had a private room. Allergies. My old roommate had a cat."

"Your allergic to cats? So is Draco. It's a shame. They are such lovely animals."

Achilles said nothing to this.

"Hello Persephone." Said a male voice from somewhere near them.

Persephone turned to see the speaker was wearing yellow and had the Hufflepuff house emblem on his robes. She knew who it was. It was the only Hufflepuff she spoke to, therefore he was the only Hufflepuff she was friends with.

"Cedric! Hey how are you? I haven't seen you for about two weeks!"

"I've been busy. I heard about what happened, to your father. I'm sorry. If there's anything you need or if you just want to friend to talk to, I'm here." Cedric gave Persephone a hug.

"I know, thank you Cedric."

Cedric noticed Achilles and smiled.

"I'm Cedric." He said as he extended his hand.

"Achilles." He answered as he shook hands with Cedric.

"You new? I haven't seen you around, and it's not like Persephone to randomly start hanging around new people unless they are new to the school."

Achilles looked at Persephone as she once again looked guilty.

"Just moved here from Athens."

"That makes sense then. You're a Slytherin as well I see." Cedric said pointing to Achilles's robes.

"Persephone doesn't speak to people unless they are in Slytherin." He finished.

Achilles got a confused look on his face. "Wait…She talks to you, you're in…"

"Hufflepuff." Cedric answered helpfully.

Achilles looked to Persephone again.

"Why do you talk to him if you only talk to Slytherins?"

"Well." Persephone began as she kicked at a rock. "I met Cedric on the train first year." She stopped as if releasing what she was doing. "Wait, I don't have to justify to you why I'm friends with Cedric."

Cedric rolled his eyes and finished. The story Persephone began.

"She was in the same compartment as I was. There was a rather large spider that was in the compartment, as well, Persephone hates, spiders, so I got rid of it, we started talking and, became fast friends. Right Persephone?"

"Right."

Achilles stood there wondering if this was the whole story and why hadn't Persephone told him herself.

"Well, I have to get to Herbology." Cedric said. "It was nice to meet you Achilles." He said.

"Bye Persephone, I wanted to talk with you, could you meet me in the north tower after dinner? I need your opinion on something and don't want a lot of people knowing. Please?"

"Sure, I'll see you then."

Cedric smiled and hugged her before leaving. When he was about three yards away, he turned and waved. "See you after dinner!" he called.

Persephone waved back at Cedric then smiled at him.

"Come on Achilles will be late for Runes."

They walked to Runes together silently. When they entered the room, they took their seats. Professor Snape was substituting today.

"Please open you books to page 394."

Everyone opened their books to the appropriate page and listened as Professor Snape spoke on the Druids and what they used Runes for and why.

"What time of the month did they use this Rune?" Snape asked as he wrote a Rune on the board.

No one raised his or her hand. Snape scanned the room, for a student to call on to answer his question. "Miss. Malfoy?"

"At the full moon Professor." She answered.

"Correct, twenty points to Slytherin."

Persephone smiled, pleased with herself. The rest of the lesson passed smoothly.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer Ido not own the canon characters or the world.

Chapter 6

When class was out, Persephone walked to the Slytherin common room. Achilles was following her closely. He wanted to ask her about Cedric, but didn't know how to begin.

"So… your friend Cedric."

"What about him?" Persephone asked.

"Is he just a friend?"

"What? Of course he is. Cedric is my best friend."

"And what does Draco think about this?"

"He knows, he doesn't care. He thinks Cedric is a nice guy, but don't tell him I told you."

"What is Cedric's last name?"

"Diggory."

"Oh.. Cedric Diggory." Achilles said.

Just then, Pansy walked in the door, she smiled at Persephone walking towards her.

"Can I talk to you?" She asked.

"Sure, Pansy."

The two of them walked out of the common room and out into the corridor. Pansy walked a bit further then finally stopped and looked to Persephone.

"I saw you talking with Diggory today."

"So?"

"Do you like him?"

"Cedric's my best friend."

"No, I mean do you like him? It's fine if you do; Draco is the one that really wants to know. He was afraid you'd smack him and so he asked me to ask you. Therefore I am asking you, do you like Cedric Diggory?"

Persephone said nothing but looked to her left.

"You do, don't you? You like Cedric!"

Persephone looked around the corridor wildly to see if anyone had over heard them. She saw no one and silently thanked God.

"Maybe I do."

"Well, Draco, wants to talk with you, after dinner."

"I can't, I have to meet Cedric after dinner."

"Well, I'll see if Draco will talk to you before dinner then."

"Alright."

Persephone turned and walked back into the common room. She sat down on the sofa and waited for her brother to come talk to her. Achilles had gone back to his room.

When Draco came into the common room, he found his sister sitting on the couch. He walked over, sat next to her and took her hands in his.

"Pansy told me about what you told her."

Persephone sat silently.

"Listen, I think it's great Persephone, really I do. But does Cedric know about…" he trailed off as tapped her left arm.

Persephone looked down. "No, he doesn't." she answered quietly.

Draco hung his head. "You know you have to tell him."

"I know, I just hope Cedric isn't upset."

"Persephone, it's not your fault you have the mark anymore then it's my fault I have it! When we were born Father wanted us to be branded with the mark."

"I know…"

"You have to tell him, it's not fair to Cedric."

"Draco, I know! But his father works for the ministry! What if I get taken in for questioning, or what if I get sent to Azkaban!?"

Draco sat silently for a second waiting for his sister to finish what she was saying. When he knew that she was finished saying what she had to say, he spoke.

"Persephone, I don't think that Cedric would ever do such a thing. You're his best friend. His father knows who you are, he knows who your father was."

Was. The word cut like a hot blade. Persephone looked away at the sound of the word was.

"Cedric knows you don't support Voldemort. He knows you don't agree with Mum and Father. He also understands that it is expected of you to join. He also believes that you would never do that. So I don't see the problem."

"The problem is what if Cedric is upset that I didn't tell him before? What then?"

Persephone began to cry a little.

"If you just explain to Cedric…"

"How?"

"You'll find a way, you always do." Draco said in a reassuring voice. Persephone smiled weakly at her brother.

"Come on. We should go get some dinner."

Persephone only nodded at this.

After dinner, Cedric was waiting for Persephone in the North tower. She arrived shortly after he did. When she entered, he simply smiled and then hugged her.

"Hey Persephone, how are you?"

"Alright, I guess. You?"

"I'm doing great."

Persephone walked over and sat on a bench that was kept in the tower. Cedric looked at her. He had known her for almost seven years now and knew that there was something wrong with her. He knew something was bothering her but he didn't what.

"What is it?" He asked quietly.

Persephone knew she had to tell him. She knew it was going to come up sometime. She looked at Cedric not knowing how to start.

"Hey," Cedric sat next to her. "Peresphone, what's going on? You can tell me anything, you know that." Tears began to form in her eyes as he said this.

"I know, Cedric, I- I'm just, it's. I'm just afraid that you'll be upset about it." She stopped then as tears were flowing from her eyes. Cedric wiped the tears off her face with his fingers. After he had wiped her tears, he looked at her straight in the eyes. "Persephone, like I just told you, you can tell me anything. I won't be upset with you, I promise."

"You don't know what it is, I have to tell you."

"I know, but, I also know whatever it is I'll understand, I'll stand by you the whole time. I swear." Persephone smiled after Cedric said this.

"I'll even make the unbreakable vow with you if you want." Cedric held out his hand as he said this. Persephone sat stunned.

"Cedric… that's not going to be necessary." She paused for a moment. "Cedric…. I have to show you something. Something, I've been keeping from you."

Cedric looked at her and was lost for words. He stared at her for what seem like hours. Persephone was crying again. She slowly pushed her sleeve up on her left arm. Cedric looked at her arm and saw the dark mark.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't have a choice." She sobbed. " After I was born, my father had me branded with it. It was suppose to be a promise to you-know- whom that when I became of age, I'd join. I'm of age now, but I'm not joining. I don't know what to do and I'm scared. You have to believe me Cedric!" The tears still fell freely from her face.

"I do, I believe you. I understand. It's expected of you. I know you're a good person and that you would never do anything to harm anyone. Ever. Persephone, you have to believe me when I tell you that, this." He touched the mark on her arm. "Doesn't change anything. It has nothing to do with the type of person you are, a wonderful, beautiful, person. I don't care that you have the mark. I'll help you. I know you're scared and you don't know what to do. But if you let me I'll do everything I can to protect you. I swear."

Persephone smiled at her best friend. She hugged Cedric, then kissed his cheek.

"Thank you, you're the best friend I could have ever asked for." Cedric kissed his best friend on the cheek. Persephone was able to regain control of her emotions and pull herself together.

"What was it you wanted my opinion on?" She finally asked remembering why he had asked her to meet him in the North tower.

"Well firstly I want to confess, I don't need your opinion, it was an excuse, and I didn't want to say anything in front of everyone. I don't know how else to tell you this, after all you are my best friend of six going on seven years. So I'm just going to say it. I think I'm in love with you Persephone." Cedric looked at her for a few moments before he looked down at his feet.

"I'm in love with you Cedric and have been for the past year in a half." Cedric looked at Persephone and said nothing. He simply kissed her.

The two of them sat in the North tower talking for hours until Persephone finally said that she should be getting back to the common room to get some sleep. Cedric insisted on walking her to her common room, which was a long walk in the opposite direction that he had to go in to get to the Hufflepuff house common room.

When he arrived at the stone wall that led to the Slytherin house common room, Cedric kissed Persephone quickly and bit her goodnight, promising to see her at breakfast the next day.

By lunch the next day the whole school knew that Cedric Diggory and Persephone Malfoy were together. The fact that they walked around the corridors to the classes they had together hand in hand helped to spread this around. People in the corridors and outside were taking about hoe odd it was that a Hufflepuff prefect and a Slytherin prefect were together. Draco didn't seem to mind that his sister was with Cedric Diggory. Pansy thought it was a wicked move on Persephone's part and when she was told of what went on in the North tower she had a new respect for Cedric and apologized to him for thinking that he was a shy wimpy guy. Cedric told Pansy not to worry about it and he harbored not hard feeling s towards her.

The Hufflepuffs seemed amazed that Cedric had asked Persephone out, they all thought he was a sure match for Hannah Abbot. The Slytherins were in no position to tell Persephone off, after all she was a Malfoy. The Ravenclaws were upset at Cedric because he had broken up with Cho Change a few months earlier. The Gryffindors were just upset that once again a Malfoy was the talk of the school. Although they would never admit it aloud, most of them liked Persephone some of the time. Harry, Ron and Hermione disliked her. Fred and George thought she was a laugh.

"Everyone is staring." Persephone said uncertainly to Cedric that afternoon.

"Don't worry about it. After a few days it will all be over and no one will care any more. It's not going to last for ever." Cedric said in a reassuring voice.

"Cedric, what does your father think?"

"He's happy for me. He also said that he was waiting for this to happen."

Persephone smiled. "Really?"

"Yes, he has also asked us to come over for dinner tonight. He sent me a portkey this morning since you can't apperate in or out of Hogwarts."

"Oh, alright. That will be nice. I haven't seen your Mum and Dad in ages! I've always like your Mum, she's a very sweet lady."

"They have always like you. You're not like you parents, which is the main reason they like you so much." Cedric paused thinking he may have said something wrong. Persephone caught on to Cedric's mood. She squeezed his hand gently.

"I know what you mean. It's all right. What about Draco, what do they think of him?"

"Well…they don't really know him, they saw him at the world cup a few years ago and that was the only time they spoke with him."

Persephone smiled, knowing what Cedric had meant. "But what about you? Do you like my brother?"

"He's gotten lads better from how he use to be. He really cares about you. You know that right?"

"Of course I do."

Cedric and Persephone walked to Herbology together. After class, Cedric told Persephone that he would be back to pick her up in a few hours for dinner with his parents.

Persephone stood in front of her mirror applying her make-up and hair spray, her long hair was pulled up in to an elegant roll with soft curls that hung down her back and the sides of her face. She was thinking to her self about what had gone on the past evening; when she heard a knock at her door. That can't be Cedric yet can it? I'm not even ready yet! Please don't be Cedric. Not yet! She walked across the room and opened the door. Draco was standing there.

"What is it?" she asked hurriedly.

"Cedric sent an owl to me asking me to tell you that's running a few minutes late, but he'll be here. He said he had to go into the village for something."

"Oh. Thank you Draco. Have him come up when he gets here. Please. That would be a great help."

Draco smirked.

"What?"

"Nothing, just I'm use to seeing my sister looking like you do. Cedric will like it."

Persephone raised an eyebrow. Draco smiled again then walked out and closed the door behind him. Persephone was left staring at the door for a few moments before putting on her white dress with a see through midsection.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer I do not own the canon characters or the world.

Cedric knocked on the door half an hour later. Persephone had just finished getting herself ready. She walked over to the door and opened it.

"Hello, sorry I'm late. I had to get you this." He pulled out a flower from the inside of his shirt. "Had to buy you something. Don't want to be a bad boyfriend." He smiled after finishing his thought. Persephone smiled at Cedric.

"You're not a bad boyfriend, and you didn't have to buy me anything."

"Oh, but I did."

Persephone put her flower in water so it would not wilt.

The pair of them walked out of her room, through the common room and were met by stares. Draco waved and jokingly told Cedric to have her back by midnight. They walked out of the common room and up to the Hufflepuff common room. Cedric ran up to his room and returned with a muggle pound. Cedric looked to his watch.

"It's almost time, about 10 seconds."

Persephone put a finger on the muggle pound and 10 seconds later her and Cedric were no longer in the Hufflepuff common room. They were flying to a different location and gracefully landed in the living room of Cedric's house.

The happy shriek of a woman filled the room. Cedric's mother came running over to the two of them. She hugged Cedric tightly. Then she hugged Persephone.

"I'm so glad you came."

"Hello Mum."

"Hello Mrs. Diggory."

Cedric's father entered the room. He hugged his son and smiled to Persephone.

"Persephone, Mrs. Diggory and I both want you to know how sorry we are for your and your brothers loss."

"Thank you."

"How are you doing dear?" Mrs. Diggory asked.

"Okay, Cedric's been a great help."

"Well, I guess I raised my only son right."

"Dad…. Can we not." Cedric asked a little embarrassed. Mr. Diggory looked at his son for a moment.

"Of course Cedric, so sorry."

"Thanks." Cedric murmured.

Mrs. Diggory led the way to the dining room where dinner was being served. The first course was potato leek soup. Dinner at the Diggory's house was a fairly quiet affair. Cedric's parents took turns picking Persephone's brain.

"How are things going at the Ministry Mr. Diggory? My fathers friends aren't giving you too hard of a time are they?" Persephone asked sweetly.

"Things are going very well indeed, your fathers friends are too busy to be at the Ministry as of right now."

"Too busy with you-know-who, you mean?"

Mr. Diggory sat silently. Cedric looked to Persephone and Mrs. Diggory looked at her bowl of soup. Mr. Diggory cleared his throat.

"Yes."

"My Mum still works for him."

"We know, were working on how to catch more death eaters and lock them away." Mr. Diggory said matter-of -factly. It was a known fact in the Diggory household that Persephone Malfoy had no problem discussing her parents' relationship with Voldemort. They knew she was against what they taught her.

Cedric set his spoon down as the second course came. The second course was chicken with boiled potatoes and cooked carrots.

"You know, it's amazing that you turned out as you did, with your parents in you-know-who's inner circle." Cedric said. Persephone smiled slightly.

"But, the Malfoy's were pardoned. They had been under the curse." Mrs. Diggory said in a way that let the others know the conversation was closed and they should move on to a different topic.

"Persephone, what are you going to do after school?" Mrs. Diggory asked.

Persephone finished chewing her carrots, then answered.

"Professor Snape reckons I could go on and be a healer. I think it could be a good choice. We need more healers now more then ever." Persephone said. Mr. Diggory nodded as she said this.

"Our Cedric is going to be an Auror." Mr. Diggory said proudly. Cedric looked as if he wanted to die right on the spot. Persephone smiled as she grabbed Cedric's hand under the table.

"He's told me. He'll be wonderful at it."

"I worry about it. My husband is one and now my baby boy wants to do the same." Mrs. Diggory said as she fought back tears. Cedric felt his throat constrict a little.

"Mum, we've been through this, I'll be careful. I want to do this; the ministry is going to need all the help it can get. You know this as well as everyone else ion our world."

"Yes Cedric, but it doesn't make it any easier to except."

"I worry about it too Cedric." Persephone added. "I don't know what I'd do if anything ever happened to you."

Mr. Diggory shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Cedric could tell his father worried about him too although his father would never voice this. Cedric turned to face Persephone.

"I'll be safe Persephone. I promise. I'm not going to get killed. I have too much to live for."

Cedric spent the next hour in a half convincing his girlfriend and his mother that he would be safe and he knew what he was doing.

After dinner, the four went to the sitting room and talked for a while.

"So, does your mother know about you and our Cedric yet?" Mrs. Diggory asked.

"I haven't spoken with her since my father died."

"What about Draco?"

"Oh, he thinks it's great. He likes Cedric. He has no complaints. He approves." Persephone smiled.

"Is that rare?" Mrs. Diggory asked.

"For the most part. Cedric is the one who always disapproved of whomever I was seeing."

"You were my best friend, I didn't want you dating just anyone. Besides, I've been in love with you since 3rd year."

Mrs. Diggory grabbed her husband's hand. "Amos isn't that sweet?"

"Yes, dear it is."

Cedric looked at the clock and saw that it was three am. He nudged Persephone and pointed to the clock. She looked at it and was surprised that it was that late.

"Mum, it's late and we have an early potions class in the morning. In fact class starts on four hours."

Mrs. Diggory looked at the clock. "Oh my! I didn't realize it was that late. I'm so sorry. Amos, get the kids a portkey so they can go back to school."

Amos Diggory nodded and stepped out of the room. He returned a few moments later with an old sock. "I have it set to go in one minute and it will go to the Hufflepuff common room. He handed Cedric the sock. They said hurried good-byes then Cedric and Persephone were transported back to the Hufflepuff common room.

Cedric insisted on walking Persephone down to her room. When they got outside of her room the spoke for a few moments quietly as to not wake anyone.

"Thank you Cedric, that was really fun. I loved seeing your Mum and Dad again."

"I'm glad you were willing to come. My Mum really likes you."

Persephone smiled then kissed Cedric lightly.

"Goodnight Cedric I'll see you in four hours in class."

"I'll be here before class to walk with you to potions. Okay?"

"Okay, see you then." She kissed him once again, the quietly walked into her room and fell asleep for the night.

The next morning, Persephone woke up early and walked to the bathroom that was connected to her room. She showered and got herself ready for the day. She went to her closet and studied her options for clothing intently. She pulled a green dress off the rack then put it back. She did the same with a blue dress a red dress and a few gold tinted ones before selecting a strapless black dress. When she was dressed, she walked to her mirror and began to apply her make-up and then proceeded to dry her hair and let it lay straight. She was humming a song that was stuck in her head when Cedric knocked on the door.

"It's open Cedric!" She called sounding more awake then she felt.

Cedric opened the door slightly and saw that Persephone was across the room, he entered and sat on her bed waiting for her to finish her fixing her hair. A few minutes later, she announced that she was ready to head off to class. The pair of them walked the corridors in the direction of their potions class. A few feet down the third corridor caught them up with Achilles.

"Good Morning." He called happily when she saw them.

"Morning Achilles." Persephone answered him happily.

Achilles turned to Cedric and smiled. "Morning!" he said.

"Morning." Cedric said sleepily with a small nod.

Achilles could tell that Cedric was not a morning person at all, even thought he had only just met him the afternoon before. "You look tired." He said making his observation known.

"I am, had a late night."

Achilles looked to Persephone with a raised eyebrow clearly looking for an explanation that he knew he would not get from Cedric.

"We had dinner at his Mum and Dad's last night. We stayed there talking with them for a long time until three am. We didn't get back until a bit after that, then. I think I got a bit more sleep then Cedric. He insisted an walking me to my room that late at night."

"You only got a few minutes more sleep then me Persephone. I fell asleep around three- thirty am. At least that's what time my clock by my bed read."

"You have clock in your room?" Persephone asked.

"Sure." Cedric said.

This confused Achilles.

"Wait, you have been best friends since first year, and you've never been in his room?" He asked Persephone.

"No." Persephone answered.

The corridor around them was beginning to fill up with students waiting for Professor Snape to open the door and let them in. Cedric, Achilles and Persephone stood silently after the end to the conversation. The door flew open. Professor Snape said nothing as he turned abruptly and walked swiftly to the front of the classroom, waved his wand and instructions began to fill the black board behind him. Persephone and Cedric took their seats close to the front, while Achilles selected one in the back.

When Professor Snape turned around, the class fell silent. "Today, you will brew an extremely difficult potion, which you have all heard of I trust. It is called the draught of living death. You may work with your partner at your table, work quietly, you have an hour to complete this task. Begin." Professor Snape walked over to his desk, sat down and pulled a stack of essays towards him and began to grade them.

Persephone and Cedric began to pull out the required ingredients that were stored in the cabinets in the classroom. "How many lacewing flies does it call for?" Persephone asked Cedric. Cedric looked at the board. "Twenty-five."

"Twenty-five? That's more then a polyjuice potion." She began to count out twenty-five lacewing flies. She handed them to Cedric who was on her left with an empty bowl. When the required amount of lacewing flies were in the bowl Cedric was holding, Persephone began to pour into another bowl the correct amount of powdered unicorn horn. Once they had all the ingredients, they walked over to their seats and began to brew their potion.

"So, is it suppose to have this green tint to it?" Cedric asked. Persephone looked at the board then at the tint of green that their potion was.

"Yes, it is. Because we haven't added the lacewing flies yet. After they are added it will turn a deep purple. Then it has to be stirred five times counter clockwise and nine times clock wise, this will make the potion a pale purple, which indicated that it's done and ready to be used."

Cedric looked at her. "I love the fact that you know what you are doing in this class."

Professor Snape rose from his desk an hour later. "Time is up please put a sample on my desk with your names on it." He waved his wand and erased the notes on his board. "Please clean your places and quietly leave the class rooms, I'll have your marks tomorrow."

" I'll clean this up if you take a sample up to Snape." Cedric said.

"Alright." Persephone said. She scooped up a sample of potion in a glass vile, smiled at Cedric and headed up for Snape's desk. She handed the vile over. She was on her way back to her seat when Professor Snape called her. "Miss. Malfoy, I would like to speak with you for a moment."

Persephone looked to Cedric.

"I'll wait outside."

"Okay."

Persephone walked back up to Snape's desk. The classroom was now empty.

"I spoke with your mother and she wants you to continue your extra lessons to become a healer."

"Oh. I'm going to go to St. Mungos for their classes. I've already decided and enrolled. Madam Pomfrey is also helping me."

Snape looked at her for a few moments. "You're sure?"

"Positive. I can become a healer faster." Persephone smiled and headed out the door and walked down the corridor with Cedric explaining to him what had happened.

"So you're going to go to St. Mungos? That's great! When do you start?"

"Monday."

"One week from today?"

"Yes."

"That's great, I'm so happy for you!" Cedric said genuinely happy for her.

At lunch, Persephone filled Draco in on what happened.

" So his parents know you're not going to join?"

"Of course his parents know. It's not like I'm going to let them think that their only son is dating a." she lowered her voice. "Future death eater!"

Draco thought for a few moments and knew his sister had a point.

"I would have told them as well."

"See!"

"So, how did your potions class go?"

"Well, we had to make the draught of living death. When the rest of the class was out, Snape asked me to go to the front of the class, I told him I was going to go take classes at St. Mungos, he seemed displeased."

"Of course he was displeased! He's going to have to tell him that you're bolting! Then your life will be in danger. Oh dear god I'm going to loose my only sister!"

"Draco! Will you calm down!"

From across the great hall, Cedric could tell Draco was flipping out and Persephone was doing her best to keep him quiet. He set down his fork and walked over.

"Cedric, my sister says that Snape knows that she is going to take classes at St. Mungos. You do understand what that means!"

Cedric looked at Draco as if he had never seen him before. "Draco, clam down. My father is an Auror. I'm going to be one as well. It's no big deal. I can keep an eye on Persephone and make sure she's safe."

Draco looked at Cedric. "You mean, you would do that for me?"

"No, I would do it for Persephone. I don't want her to get hurt any more then you do."

Draco was silent for quiet sometime. Then he looked to his sister and asked her to leave. This confused Persephone, but she agreed to leave anyway, she told Cedric to meet her by the tree outside. She left the great hall.

When she left, Draco turned to Cedric. "Look, I appreciate the fact that you want to take care of my sister, but, the thing is as her brother, I feel that is my job. You know what I mean? I think you're a great person and I know my sister cares for you a great deal. I just don't like the fact that someone else is there to protect her."

"I honestly didn't think of that. I don't have any siblings, so things like that, I find hard to understand. I know Persephone is grateful that you look out for her. But I always have as well. Since her and I were in our first year here at Hogwarts."

"I know, it's stupid that I feel like this, we both can want to keep her safe right?"

"Of course. But, I want to ask her to move in after schools done. It would be safer for her with my Mum and Dad and I."

Draco nodded to Cedric to show him that he agreed and understood what he was telling him.

"Are we okay then?"

"Yes, were fine Cedric."

Cedric left and walked outside to find Persephone. He saw her standing by the tree like she said she would be. He walked over to her.

"Hey, what did Draco want?"

"Oh, nothing really. It's all right. Don't worry about it."

"So he's not going to loose his marbles?"

"Not any time soon."

Persephone smiled.

"Good."

"He just wanted to make sure I understood that as your brother he has to protect you."

"Aw.. that's so sweet."

"I was wondering if you would move in after schools out."

"Really?"

"I think it would be safer for you."

"Of course I will."

"My Mum and Dad have a room ready for you. They think you'd be safer there."

Persephone walked away from the tree.

"Cedric, if you don't mind, I'm a bit tired and I'd like to go to bed."

"Do you want me to walk you to your room?"

"No, I'll go. Good night Cedric."

The next morning found Persephone packed and leaving Hogwarts forever. Cedric had paid a princely sum to have their home magically finished overnight.

They were moving in. Cedric met her in the great hall where she was saying goodbye to friends. The hired carriage was waiting in Hogsmead.

She walked out the doors with Cedric and found Draco on his way to Hogsmead. She rushed over to hug him.

"Draco, Cedric got the house done, promise me you'll visit."

"You're my sister, of course I'll visit."

"Persephone, the carriage is ready, we need to go." Cedric said.

She hugged her brother one last time and got in the carriage. Cedric followed her and closed the door. Draco smiled and waved to his sister as she pulled away to her happily ever after.

~FIN~


	8. Chapter 8

A/N

This was the first ff I finished, I wrote it 4 years ago when I was still in HS.

Please give me some feedback.


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